


The Boy who was Broken

by annahapygirl



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-16 01:29:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19307875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annahapygirl/pseuds/annahapygirl
Summary: A good puzzle is always fun, however what about a broken puzzle? This is a the story of how one broken little boy would grow up to change the world. However, a person -just like the puzzle- once broken can never return to its original form. They will always carry the scars of their past.





	1. Chapter 1

The old white-haired man sighed as he left the apartment. He has been coming every month on the 1st, however the boy he had been visiting was starting to ask question. These questions he could not answer, especially while looking into the boy’s bright blue eyes. Minato’s eyes. The blue of his eyes would stare at him as if the boy could look right in his soul. Never knowing that his stare was just like the look that Minato would give others. Until the boy was strong enough he could not know of his parents. The man knew this as fact, he made it a law to ensure that it would stay secret. However, seeing the blue eyes go form hopeful and happy ease into bitter disappointment was too much for the older man. Finally making a decision as he walked into his office, he eased into his chair and lit his pipe. 

“Get me everyone on Team Fox, sub someone else from Anbu to watch over him until I am done with this meeting.” The old man said to the seemly empty office. Once he was done talking a person in all dark from fitting clothing dropped from the ceiling and disappeared though the open window. A few minutes later six people all in similar clothing as the messenger showed up kneeling on the ground before the man. 

One of the men with spikey white hair and white mask with red swirls styled like a dog was in front, with a woman with long purple hair with a mask like a cat to the man right. Behind the two were four other ninja all with dark hair and white masks with red swirls. The mask at the far side was a bird, then an ox, a tiger, and finally a mouse. The ninja wearing the mouse mask quickly brought up his right hand to cover his mouth in order to muffle the sound of him coughing. 

The old man once again sighed heavily and said, “The information I am giving you six will upset you, however I have made up my mind. There will be no discussion. From now on, no one will get close to Naruto. He is making us his family and friends. He will never try to make new friends with us in the way. From now on, no one is to speak to him. Do not be seen by him. Do not help him. Once a month one of you will drop off anything he needs including his money, but you will not let him know you are there in any way. He is a smart boy, soon he will be questioning why he has bodyguards. I do not want him questioning anything to do with his secrets. This is my final decision. You are dismissed. Whoever is on duty now return to your post, the rest of you return to your day.”

As one the group said, “Yes Hokage!” and left as quickly as they appeared. The group pulled away from the boy that they had all grown to love in a way. They watched the boy wait up all day in his kitchen waiting on his monthly visit from the Hokage. They watched as the boy found the envelope with the money that the Hokage gave him monthly and run to check out his pantry and fridge to see it was already stocked up. They watched as the boy cried, as he was kicked out of playgrounds, as he was pushed and verbally attacked by the villagers. They watched as the boy start to shut down. The boy stopped going outside, he stopped eating any fresh foods, he stopped waiting all day on the first of each month to see if his only friend would show up. The boy grew pale and thin over time, he would sleep most of the day away to wake up only when the sun was setting. He would walk to his balcony and sit at the edge every night to watch the sun setting and not moving for hours. The group still watched hearts breaking and growing heavy at looking at the broken boy.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto sighed as he watched the last dregs of the sun light disappeared behind the stone heads of the Hokage’s. He knew that he should go inside and eat something, but he just was not hungry. He knew that he should do a lot of things, he just did not care enough to do any of it. Today was October 1st. Which meant two things, his watchers had left him this month of supplies in his kitchen, and in a few days he would turn six years old. Unlike most kids his age he did not think about his birthday, that day would be spent doing the same thing he had been doing for almost three years now. No, the only thoughts going though the boys head was wondering if his watchers had given up on him eating real food yet. 

For the past few months the boy had only ate ramen, he simply did not have the energy to make himself anything else. At first the watchers cut down on the amount of ramen they gave him, but then he started to lose weight by not eating. So, they gave him back his ramen, but also put other types of foods out so he would find them in the hopes he would eat it. He would just leave the food where they left it and get the ramen eat one slowly then go lay in his room. Naruto knew that his life was wrong, that he should be like one of the people he watches from his balcony. However, he just could not force himself to care. He just drifted from day to day, watching people when they could not see him, sleeping or barely eating the rest of the time. He would go weeks without speaking. 

The watcher wearing the dog mask was watching him right now, Naruto had always been able to sense people when they had negative feelings. After being around the man for so long Naruto was able to tell Dog’s emotions form the other watchers. The only thing Naruto really like to do was study people with strong emotions, he was so numb to the world that he did not really feel anything. So, the study of these people was fascinating to the young boy. Little did Naruto know that this day was indeed going to be different. This was the day Dog was going to the Hokage in order to beg for the man to reconsider his last orders concerning the boy. 

After Cat came to take over watching the broken boy, Dog climbed to his feet and started to run towards the Hokage’s office. He quickly dropped to the floor, kneeling with his head bowed before the old man. 

“What is it Dog?” The Hokage said as he stared out over the village. 

“Sir, it is about Naruto. He is not getting any better, if anything he is getting worse.” Blurted the worried man. “He is all skin and bones, as pale as parchment, he only eats instant ramen, and has not uttered a word in almost four months. He has not left his apartment in over a year now. If he continues this way he will die! I know you wanted him to be more like a normal child, but at this point if we continue he will be just another dead child! This morning Bird told me that Naruto was stabbing himself with a nail until he bled, then just watched the wound heal, and stab himself again until his arm was covered in blood.”

“That is alarming.” The Hokage said as he finally turned to stare at stone heads. “I have failed the boy to a degree that will never be forgivable. However, I must admit I am at a loss as to how to fix it. The council has ordered that he will be trained as a ninja regardless of whatever his feelings are.” The Hokage sighed again and reached for his pipe and with a quick flick of his fingers he had it lit and brought to his mouth. “I will have to speak to him, and hope he will agree with me, otherwise things will get worse before they get better. Dog, please forgive this old man. I only wanted Naruto to have a normal life, I thought I was doing what was best for the boy. I can only hope that someday he will forgive me. You are dismissed, tell your team I will be there later.”

Dog quickly nodded and said, “Yes Hokage!” Before disappearing though the open window. The Hokage stood for a while longer before saying to the fourth stone face, “I have failed you Minato, and worse yet, I have failed your son.”

With that the Hokage put out his pipe and stored it in its usual spot in his robes. He grabbed a folder with Naruto’s name on the side. Opening the folder, he picked out a few different papers before closing the folder back up and storing it in his desk. With a final look at the faces looking down at the village he grabbed his hat and walked out of his office to make the long walk towards the edge of the village. He could have been there in a few seconds, but he decided to walk in order to get his thoughts in order. As he walked he thought about what he could do to make Naruto want to become a ninja. He would prefer to use the carrot instead of the stick for now. He did not want to make the boy hate him anymore then he already did. 

Before the aged Hokage was ready he was at the building that housed Naruto. He patted his pocket to make sure he had the papers before walking up the stairs to knock on Naruto’s door. After no response to his knock, he used his key to open the door and walked into the dark kitchen. The Hokage looked around to see all of the windows were covered and not a single light was on, the only light in the apartment was the faint lights form the streetlights coming through the open balcony door. The Hokage walked over to the door before speaking softly, “It is a wonderful thing, to be able to watch this many happy people in one place. Every time I look over the village it makes me want to make sure it continues to grow and be happy. However, that is my job, to make the village, as a whole, happy. Not just one boy. I am sorry Naruto for the life you had led the last few years. Can I do anything to make it better?”

Naruto just continued to look out over the village not moving or making any moves to even show that he even heard the Hokage. The Hokage watched the boy for a while until they started to see the first hints of the sun rising. At this sign the boy rose up and started to walk over to his kitchen. Naruto grabbed his kettle and filled it with water before putting it on the stove top to heat up. Naruto just stood there and watched the kettle until it started to whistle. At the sound Naruto poured the hot water into the waiting ramen cup and moved to sit down at the table. While he was waiting the Hokage put the papers on the table next to the cup of ramen. “I have signed you up at the ninja academy. You start in two weeks. The dates and times are in the papers. I made sure to give you a teacher I think you will like. Iruka is very young but very smart. I am sure you will make friends in class.” The Hokage watched as Naruto reached his hands forward, for a second hoping the boy will do something with the papers or show some sort of emotion. However, he was disappointed when the boy just reached for the ramen and started to eat. 

The man sighed once again and said, “I will send someone to come pick you up in a few days and take you school supply shopping. You will need ninja tools and clothing.” With one last look at the boy who had never even looked at him, the Hokage turned and walked out of the apartment. As he was almost out of the door he heard, “Were my parents ninja?” 

At the sound of the cracking and raspy voice the Hokage turned around to see Naruto had put down his cup of ramen and was staring at the table. He debated on what to tell the broken child before deciding in this case the truth was the best. “Yes, they were both ninjas. They actually meant each other at the acemdey. They were the only two people in the class who liked the art of sealing, so over time they would get together and study it further.” At this Naruto nodded his head slightly before standing up and walking to his bedroom. 

The Hokage continued on his way back to his office. Knowing that he had failed the young boy and praying that he would find it within himself to not just forgive him, but also forgive the village. For if he did not then the boy might snap and need to be killed in order to preserve the village.


	3. Chapter 3

A very nervous chunin rubbed his hands together and bit his lip in thought as he wondered why he was called to the office of the Hokage himself. The chunin had long dark brown hair that was pulled up in a spiky ponytail, with a headband over his forehead. He also had a very long and deep scar across his checks and over his nose. This ninja’s name was Iruka. As Iruka looked around the waiting room outside of the Hokage’s office he noticed that outside of the secretary working at her desk, there was no one else in the room. This fact made Iruka even more worried however, whatever was going on so far only involved him. He wondered if it had something to do with his desire to teach, in stead of combat. The Hokage gave him permission last month, but maybe he changed his mind. Iruka was never the best ninja, he was good at the basic’s and at sensing chakra but nothing that would help him in a hard fight. His skills would never amount to Jonin rank, and he really did not want that type of stress in his life right now. 

“Chunin Umino, the Hokage will see you now.” Said the woman manning the secretary desk. 

Iruka nodded and standing up started towards the door silently telling himself to stop fidgeting. The Hokage was his leader and he would do whatever the man told him. The Hokage would know his weaknesses and would not send him out to die in a mission that he could not complete. He stood in front of the door waiting to see what the Hokage would do, invite him in further or give him his orders from here.

“Ahh Iruka, it is good to see you again. Please come in and have a seat. I have a matter that I want to discuss with you concerning your class this year.” The Hokage said never moving away form the window he stood in front of. He was staring out over the village and had his hands crossed behind his back.

“Ah, yes sir.” Iruka finally managed to say after being stunned that the Hokage was calling him in to talk about his class, normally only the council would deal with the academy classes. Iruka moved forward to the seat in front of the desk and slowly sat down wondering what was going to happen next. Why did the Hokage need to talk to him, he was just a first-year teacher. 

“As you might know, many of the clans have either their main heirs or the spare heirs in your class. So, your class will be under more scrutiny then most. This is not a bad thing Iruka. However, it will pose a challenge for you. You will need to keep the clan children busy while catching up the others to their level. I have faith in you that you will manage this. However, we have another problem. The council has ordered that Naruto will start his training this year. Now I have talked to Naruto about this, I hope he will comply. I just do not know for certain.” The Hokage said finally turning around and siting at his desk while staring at Iruka. 

“Sir, is the Naruto you are speaking about the Uzumaki container child?” Iruka asked blindsided, he had not seen or heard about the boy in years. He wondered why the council had decided that the boy needed to be in his class. Surely it would be better with a more experienced teacher to deal with him. 

“Yes, he is the child I am talking about and, Iruka if you can, remember that he is just a child. Nothing more and nothing less. Naruto has had a very hard life and I am afraid I am to blame for a lot of it. He does not talk much, he barely goes outside, and he is very unhealthy. You will have a lot of work cut out for yourself to get him into shape. I am told however he does like to read, and to study people so that may help. However, I want to you to meet up with him later today and take him school shopping. I will give you all the money you need, so feel free to bribe him with some books or something else he shows interest in. I want you to report to me afterwards about any emotion that he shows. When I informed him of the start of the classes the only emotion he showed was a desire to know about if his parents were ninjas.”

“But sir, why me? You know what the demon took from me! Why do you want me to teach the boy? Wouldn’t it be better for a more experienced teacher?” 

“Stand down Dog.” Said the Hokage without pause. Iruka turned quickly around to see an anbu member with a kunai in hand right behind him. “He was speaking of the Kyubi, not Naruto.” Dog nodded once and disappeared back to his hiding spot. 

“Now Iruka, I understand your concerns, however, it is because of your past and the class you will be teaching that I want you to be young Naruto’s teacher. You understand the loneliness of an orphan, and you class contains the clan children that can become Naruto’s ties to the village. As to having a more experienced teacher, as you know most of the teachers are either retired ninjas or ninjas that are too injured to be in the field. The retired ninjas will treat Naruto as either a weapon for the village or treat him as his parent’s child. I do not want anyone to know who his parents would, not until he is strong enough to defend himself from their enemy’s. As too the injured ninja, most were injured in the Kyubi’s attack. The risk that they will hurt Naruto is too great. I believe you, while maybe not liking him, will treat Naruto fairly. I know this is a lot to ask you Iruka however, you are my only hope at this point. If you can not teach him then he will be forced to be taught by the Anbu, and that will not help him mentally.”

Iruka was frozen. On one hand he did not want to teach the thing that killed his parents and left him to be alone for most of his childhood. On the other hand, he was honored bound to obey his Hokage, plus the man thought well of him. The Hokage trusted him to be able to treat the demon child fairly. He knows that if he did not agree he would be back in the regular combat forces where he will die at some point. If he agreed he would please his leader and maybe that demon child would not be too bad, it would only be for six years after all. He would likely not even make it six years in the field. 

“Yes, sir. I understand.” Iruka said making up his mind. He looked right at the Hokage and continued, “I will teach the boy, like any other child. However, I do have some concerns, and not just about the boy but the rest of the students.”

 

“Very well continue Iruka. What are your concerns?” The Hokage said interlacing his fingers together in front of his face while watching the chunin.

“I do not believe I can do this on my own. Teach the whole class I mean. Especially at the beginning. All the clan children will be so far ahead, that I am not sure how much I can do to keep them busy without hurting the rest of the children. I just do not know what I can do!” Iruka finished feeling ashamed that he did not how to do what he begged the Hokage to let him do just a few weeks ago. 

“I believe that I have an answer for you in that at least. After a few weeks I will send in a ninja with a focus in a certain area to talk to the class, one day a month. That should teach both sets of children at the same time about what can be done, for example in healing. This will motivate the children with an interest in the field to study outside of class. While giving you a day off to plan how to best teach over the next month. I have found once ninja children make a goal they will work towards it, no matter the problems that arise. Plus, it could help me get more ninja in the fields that we do not have a lot of help in. We can also do days with new weapons, or chakra control. That way it will improve everyone equally. If this works like I hope it will be something that we will do with all the classes.” The Hokage finished looking happy that his idea might be the answer he has been looking for to help with the hospital and barrier corps. 

“Very well sir. I will try my best!” Said Iruka not knowing if his will really solve any of his problems, but at least it should not worsen them. 

“Very well, if that is everything then I will have Dog take you to Naruto. He has the money you will need. Feel free to ask him any questions you have of Naruto; he has been watching over Naruto all of his life.

“Yes Hokage.” Both Iruka and Dog said as they bowed to the man and walked out the door to the waiting area. 

Iruka looked over at the Anbu. While no one was supposed to know who was behind the mask, most people knew their friends and family members mask. Iruka had never known anyone in Anbu however, but he felt like he knew he had seen that white spiky hair before. He wondered if he knew Dog, or if he had just seen him around the village. 

“Do you have any questions about Naruto Iruka?” said the bored sounding male voice from behind the mask.

Iruka had to force himself not to jump, He was so lost in thought about who Dog was that he forgot the other man was supposed to be answering his questions. “Ahh, yes. What did the Hokage mean by he barely goes outside and is unhealthy? Shouldn’t his caretaker had made him at least eat good food and go outside at times?” 

Dog nodded towards a smaller road to the pairs left. “Naruto does not really have a caretaker. He has the Hokage and his team of bodyguards. However, to try to force him to make friends outside of us the Hokage ordered that none of us will talk or even be seen by the boy. We have dropped off food and supplies every month but outside of that we do not do anything for Naruto. He used to talk to us, he always knows where we are no matter how well we hide. Now, he just sits and stares or sleeps. We have given him healthy food and he does not make it; he was staving himself. So, we gave him ramen. He will eat it at least once a day. We think it is because it is so easy to make. He used to read all the time as well, but he has not touched a book in almost a year. Look Iruka, this child is broken in a way that very few people could ever understand. When the Hokage ordered us away from him, Naruto lost the only family he had ever known. All around him is the hate for the demon and so he was isolated.”  
Iruka tried to imagine his life without anyone in it, at least he had people at the academy to talk to, and he knew the love of his parents for the first part of his life. He could not even guess how much emotional pain the boy had gone though, but there was still the demon to think about. 

“Dog, did you loss anyone when the Kyubi attacked? Does being around him remind you of, well, it?” Iruka stammered knowing he was very close to breaking the law concerning the boy.

“Yes, I lost the rest of my team. At times yes, he does, but not in the way you are asking. The Fourth wished that Naruto would be seen as a hero, and we all failed his final wish. That is what I think about when I around Naruto. About how disappointed the Fourth would be.” Dog said with sorrow in his voice. 

Once again Iruka was lost in thought, thinking over Dogs words. He did not know about the Fourths final wish, maybe it was something only the people close to the man knew, or maybe all upper level ninja knew it. He wondered once again who Dog was, before returning his thoughts to the boy. Before Iruka realized it Dog had stopped and stood outside an old building that looked like no one had been inside in years. 

“Does he live here?” Iruka asked in disbelief, wondering why anyone would put a child in a dump like this. He thought that the building should be destroyed and rebuilt. 

“Yes, he was kicked out of the orphanage when he was a baby, and no one would let him live in their building. The Hokage bought this building and gave it to the boy. However, some people still do not like him living so close to them, so they trash the building. We found it better to just leave some of it, most people leave it alone now. Tiger where is he?” Dog asked the area around them. Iruka jumped as another Anbu appeared in front of the two saying, “He is siting in the kitchen. The paperwork the Hokage left is still on the kitchen table.”

Dog nodded before waving his hand, at that motion the other man went back to where ever he came from. 

“How many people are watching him? Will you be watching him at school as well?” Iruka asked wondering what had happen to the boy to have a team of bodyguards. 

“There are six of us, one person is always watching him. One on duty, one on call, three on normal duty, and one off. Yes we most likely keep watching him during classes, he will be out in public more so we will likely have to watch him even closer of a while. At least until people get used to him.” Dog said as he walked though the front door and up the stairs.

Iruka nodded as he followed the Anbu member. He could not help but feel bad for any child stuck in a place like this with only Anbu paying any attention to him. 

Naruto felt Dog and Tiger stop outside with someone new. This new person was nervous, but also a bit angry. He figured the new person was angry at him, but was nervous at being around the Anbu. Naruto always had been able to sense people and their negative emotions. He wondered if that is all normal people felt. Anger, sadness, greed, and gluttony. That was all Naruto could sense every day, but no matter what he did he could not sense anything from himself. He thought that is why he was a freak, a demon to others. He really did not feel anything anymore. Naruto just was, he thought, numb to emotions. This new person had a lot of emotions, they were just about yelling they were so loud to the blonde. He was used to just the six Anbu emotions, and they were controlled enough to be somewhat muted to the young boy. All the rest of the villagers where far enough away to make it that Naruto could not really sense individual emotions. 

He paid attention to the newcomers emotions as the sadness won out over the anger and the pair walked up his stairs to knock on his front door. He did not move as he heard the knock and remained still as Dog opened the door and walked in followed by the new person. Naruto looked over his kitchen table as he was focusing all of his attention to the new persons emotions, sadness and worry was at the forefront. With a small bit of nervousness as well. This was new, and Naruto for the first time in months felt motivated actually move his head and look up at the man. He saw how the man was trying to not look at anything to closely and how he kept peaking at Dog.

Dog walked over to the table to stand in front of Naruto, “Hi there Naruto.” He started, “I am not sure if you remember me. I am Dog, one of your guards. The Hokage sent Iruka and I to take you school shopping. Iruka here will be your teacher for the next few years while you are at school. Are you ready to get going? Do you need any help filling out the paperwork the Hokage left you?” 

Naruto just keep looking at Iruka. He did not even blink as Dog asked his questions, nor did he respond in any way to him. As the long seconds ticked by Iruka started to fidget and nervously bring his hands behind his back to hide the fact he was wringing them together. Dog moved forward and placed a hand on Iruka’s shoulder, standing slightly behind him. Than firmly spoke, “Naruto we need to hurry. The Hokage only gave us three hours to get everything done. If we have any left over time we can stop by the ninja library and get you a card. As a ninja student you can check books out. I know you have gotten tired of the civilian library.”

Naruto turned to look at the table once again before a soft raspy voice said, “No, not tired. Too much hate and anger. Like him, but then sadness. Why?” He said looking at Iruka.

Both Iruka and Dog were shocked. Dog was shocked at the fact that Naruto was such a strong sensor that he could sense emotions. Dog knew it was more then likely that Naruto was a sensor of some skill, but never had any of his team thought he would be this strong. That certainly explained how he always knew where they were, and even why he was so mentally broken. ‘Too much hate and anger’ Naruto words repeated in his mind. For anyone to know how much everyone hated them would break the strongest person. Iruka was shocked that a child this young was able to sense anything, much less his emotions, and he was worried that he might say something wrong to him. If he lied and Naruto could tell though his emotions then he could forever lose the boy’s trust. However the truth could also hurt him, in fact with a normal child, the truth might be worse. Naruto was not normal by any means however. Iruka thought in this case the truth might be best. 

“I was sad because I saw the way you were living. I do not believe that any child should be in a place like this. No matter what. Dog was telling me about you life so far and I felt bad for you. I was an orphan as well, so I understand loneliness. However, you are not just lonely. You have been isolated. I think that is even worse, so that is why I was sad.”

Naruto stared at Iruka for another minute before slowly standing up and walking over to the front door and grabbing a pair of shoes. At his movement Dog sighed in what sounded like relief and grabbed the schooling paperwork to find which paper was the supply list. The rest he neatly folded up and put in his hip pouch. 

Iruka looked at the boy slowly tighten his sandals and smiled before holding out his hand for Naruto to grab while Dog opened the door. Slowly, almost shyly, Naruto reached up and grabbed hold of Iruka’s hand before following Dog out of his apartment. Hoping that this person could show him more then negative emotions had had gotten so used too.


End file.
